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It was what I was born for —
to look, to listen,
to lose myself
inside this soft world —
to instruct myself
over and over
in joy,
and acclamation
~ from
Mindful,
Mary Oliver
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Sunday Preview
Sunday, January 12, 2020
Baptism of the Lord
Ordination and Installation of Elders & Deacons
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
Worship services @ 8:15 & 10:45 AM
Education Hour (for all ages) @ 9:15 AM
Homily:
"Ordinary People" by Marcia Mount Shoop
Scriptures:
Isaiah 42:1-9; Matthew 3:13-17
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This week (and next) GCPC is hosting 15 stoles from the Shower of Stoles Project as we prepare to ordain and install the new Elders and Deacons this Sunday!
You can visit the display in the sanctuary and read the stories attached to each.
The Shower of Stoles Project is an extraordinary collection of over one thousand liturgical stoles and other sacred items representing the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people of faith. These religious leaders have served in over thirty denominations and faith traditions, and come from six countries on three continents.
This collection celebrates the gifts of LGBT persons who serve God in countless ways, while also lifting up those who have been excluded from service because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The Project bears witness to the huge loss of leadership that the Church has brought upon itself because of its own unjust policies.
Read more about this project
HERE
.
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GCPC Congregational Breakfast & Annual Meeting | Sunday, January 26 | 8:15 AM | Atrium & Fellowship Hall
Come and celebrate another great year at Grace Covenant!
This annual gathering is an opportunity to be together and celebrate being part of a healthy faith community.
There will be no 8:15am worship and no adult Sunday school that morning.
Sunday school for children and youth will begin after breakfast. The Men @ GCPC will provide our scrumptious breakfast. If you would like to help with that, please contact Dean Presson,
michael.presson@bcsemail.org
.
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Communion Sign Ups
As we continue to explore "This Eucharistic Life," weekly Communion at both worship services has resumed. Our work together is to explore the ways Eucharist calls us into a particular way of life. Part of that way of life is the gift of sharing power and the gift of serving each other.
Traditionally in the Presbyterian Church, Elders have been the ones to serve Communion. Our Reformed tradition is built on the concept of the "priesthood of all believers," and while Elders serving Communion is a tradition, it is not a rule. Those who are ordained offer the Words of Institution, but anyone can participate in serving the elements to the community.
The Session invites anyone and everyone at GCPC to sign up to serve Communion.
It is a great gift to serve each other this way, and it is a gift in which we can all share!
You can sign up
HERE
or by contacting
Sherrie Meehan
in the church office. Any Session member, Worship Council member, or Staff member is happy to answer any questions you might have.
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Sisters at the Sea Retreat 2020 | February 6-9, 2020 | Folly Beach, SC | $240
*Registration ends on January 15th.*
“Cultivating an Inner Life of Grace & Clarity: Spiritual Practices for Everyday”
Do you identify as a woman age 25ish-50ish who would like a weekend of connecting and rejuvenating in a beautiful natural setting? Mark your calendars for our lucky number 11th
annual SOS (“Save our Sanity”/“Sisters at the Sea”) retreat! This year’s guest facilitator, Rev. Carol Hovis, will help us explore approaches to spiritual contemplation that we can practice in even the smallest moments of our day-to-day rush, to develop and deepen throughout our lifetimes. Register today to ensure this special time of building friendships and centering your faith in the new year!
Registration:
- $50 non-refundable deposit due at registration. Checks should be made to GCPC with “2020 Sisters at the Sea” in the memo line. Full and partial scholarships available (complete registration form to apply).
- TO REGISTER TODAY: Visit http://bit.ly/Sisters2020 to register online, or pick up a registration form at the GCPC Welcome Desk.
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SAVE THE DATE!
GCPC Music, Drama & Arts Camp
June 15-19 | 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
(for 4 year olds - rising 6th graders)
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Welcome to a new year of ministry, mission, worship and service here at GCPC
! As we approach the approval of a 2020 budget, you may have a few questions. What’s going on with the 2020 budget? Why has the pledge goal increased? The answer has two parts.
First, a goal was set to enter into 2020 with a stewardship income budget that would be 100% fully funded by the pledged support of the congregation. This is a new and exhilarating goal. Last year the goal was a 90% supported budget with a keep-your-fingers-crossed hope that unpledged and loose offerings would cover the remainder. This is one of the reasons why the pledge goal for 2020 has increased.
The other reason why the pledge goal has increased is because the budget has increased.
Here are some of the main 2020 increase amounts
over last year’s budget:
- +$62,400 - Property: education wing roof replacement, new education building doors and awnings (due to water damage), principal and interest payments on the loan for the newly installed heating and cooling system, other expected repairs and maintenance in-house, etc.
- +$12,000 - Youth Trips & Conferences: more youth participation, scholarships given, charter buses for out of town transportation, etc.
- +$10,870 - Adults: Retreat expenses, scholarships, fellowship groups, educational opportunities, 20s & 30s group, JOY group, church library, etc.
- +$8,600 - Personnel: additional nursery staff, cost of living staff raises and benefits, payroll taxes, etc.
- +$6,000 - Congregational Special Events: Monthly 2nd Wednesday catered dinners, Palooza celebration, congregational breakfast, etc.
These expense category increases alone total
$94,470
!
There you have it. Our church is growing as is our budget. Less than a week remains to participate in the $50,000 pledge matching challenge to help fund all these vital parts of our ministry.
We have already received
$24,991.04
of new pledges and increases since the challenge began.
We need
$25,008.96
to get to $50,000!
If you haven't gotten around to pledging yet
, please do so now.
If you have never pledged before,
challenge yourself. Try it. Consider making a pledge as one of your 2020 spiritual exercises.
To those of you who have pledged ...
thank you, thank you, thank you!
If you can, please take a moment to review it and consider increasing your pledge if you are able.
Remember, 10 households are challenging us and willing to match our increases up to a total of $50,000.
The Session members are increasing. The Stewardship Committee members are increasing. Will you?
A blessed New Year to you,
~ Your 2020 Stewardship Committee
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Creating Sanctuary Team (CST)
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Creating Sanctuary Team (CST) will
NOT
meet on our usual Second Sunday (January 12).
Instead of meeting, choose an option, please:
1. read the bulletins in the newsletters
2. read the emails on the CST mailing list (& if you want to be added to the list, please write Kathy Meacham (
KRMeacham@gmail.com
)
3. volunteer to make food, help host at Pisgah Legal Services third Wednesday Souper lunches by contacting Nancy Gaskin (
nancy.gaskin@gmail.com)
4. get involved with the Power and Race Team (PART)-see the newsletter for info.
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© Pamela Zagarenski / Sacredbee 2020
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Power and Race Team (PART)
Hope to see you tonight!
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PART Meeting | TONIGHT, January 9 | 7:00 PM | Fellowship Hall
Everyone is invited to join us for the first PART (Power and Race Team) meeting of 2020. We will be learning and practicing Organizing 101 skills and tools of building a more relational culture at GCPC. This is for anyone interested in meeting with and learning more about fellow GCPC members. What keeps us up at night? How do we take our anger and use it to build power and connections in our congregation and beyond the walls of GCPC. For more information, contact
Liz Huesemann
or
Carol Hovis
.
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10th Annual MLK Celebration at Kenilworth | Monday, January 20 | 5:00-6:30 PM (Potluck), 6:30 PM (Program) | Kenilworth Presbyterian Church (123 Kenilworth Rd.)
The theme of this year’s event is: "Environmental Injustice: Race, Class and Climate Change.". We are honored to welcome William Barber, III as keynote speaker. William Barber, III is the strategic partnerships associate at The Climate Reality Project (
www.climaterealityproject.org). He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law where he earned his juris doctorate. William currently serves as co-chair for the North Carolina Poor People’s Campaign Ecological Devastation committee (
www.breachrepairers.org/blog/eco-devastation) and is a member of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary's Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Board. Mr. Barber will lead a discussion on Environmental Racism and the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on the poor and people of color.
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UNC Asheville’s 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration | Tuesday, January 21 | 7:00 PM | UNCA,
Highsmith Student Union Blue Ridge Room
UNC Asheville’s annual commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. will feature a keynote address by the award-winning journalist, author and civil rights pioneer Charlayne Hunter-Gault.
Charlayne Hunter-Gault is an award-winning journalist of national and international stature, the author of four books, and a pioneer of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement who successfully challenged segregation in court and gained entrance to the University of Georgia.
As a journalist, Hunter-Gault is best known for her 20 years with the PBS NewsHour as a national and international correspondent and anchor. She later became NPR’s Africa correspondent and then Johannesburg Bureau chief for Cable News Network. Hunter-Gault has won two Emmy awards and two Peabody awards—the first for her work on Apartheid’s People, a NewsHour series about South African life during apartheid; the second for her work in Africa for NPR.
This event is free and open to everyone. Click
here
for full schedule for the week.
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Hard 2 Recycle Event | Saturday, January 18 | 10 AM - 2 PM |
1298 Patton Ave
Hard 2 Recycle events are free to the public collections geared to bring awareness to alternate modes of recycling to our area. Our goal is to educate and collect and divert items that would normally end up in the Landfill i.e Styrofoam, electronics, books, batteries and much more.
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This Sunday's Education Hour (for all ages)
Winter Term | January 5 – February 23
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Pressure Points | The Theology and Legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer | Choir Room
A German theologian who called out 'cheap grace' and dreamed of a 'religionless Christianity,' Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a vital part of the Confessing Church who stood against Adolph Hitler's Third Reich at a time when most German Christian churches acquiesced to Nazism. He was executed in 1945 by the state for his part in a plot to overthrow the fascist regime. In our class together, we will learn from his theology and discuss why his legacy is currently being fought over by Christians with divergent viewpoints today.
Facilitators:
Marcia Mount Shoop & Richard Coble
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The Improv | Justice, Money and God: Exploring God’s call for right relationship (justice) by considering our relationship to money | FH
A lot of the Bible talks about money. In fact, money was Jesus’ most talked about topic. Money influences and has power in many of our relationships: our faith, our culture, our church. We will explore God’s call for justice and righteousness and wrestle together with where money fits into it all. In this class we'll be deepening relationships with each other, and hopefully seeing possibilities for new ways of relating to God, to ourselves, to each other, and to money.
Facilitators
:
Keaton Hill, Bonnie Parker and Kate Shem
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Digging In | Sexuality and the New Testament | Jerusalem Room
“If the Gospel is where we find healing from the harm done to us by the messages of the church, then it must also be where we find freedom.”
- Nadia Bolz-Weber
Sexuality and the New Testament is a 7-week, discussion-based series covering a variety of topics focused on sexual ethics in the light of New Testament principles. Our goal is to create a space for learning and honest discussions about sexuality in our contemporary culture that help us wrestle with the shame and confusion many of us harbor. Join us for discussions on purity culture, sexual identity, gender identity, and more.
Facilitators
:
Amber White & Leah Madamba
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Toddlers (ages 2-3) | “God Loves Me”
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9:15 – 10:15 AM | Toddler Room (1
st
floor)
Preschool/K (ages 4-5) | Godly Play
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9:15 –10:15 AM | Preschool Room (1
st
floor)
Elementary (grades 1-3) | Godly Play
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9:15–10:15 AM | Temple Room
(2
nd
floor)
Elementary (grades 4-5) | “CONNECT”
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9:15–10:15 AM | Indie Room
(2
nd
floor)
Middle School & Senior Highs (grades 6-12)
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9:00-10:15 AM | Youth Rooms
*Nursery care is available throughout Sunday morning beginning at 8:10 am.
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Worship & Godly Play - Why We Do the Things We Do (4 Sundays of Worship Education)
January 5, 12, 19, and 26 | 9:15-10:15 am
During the month of January Sundays, GCPC children (ages 4 yrs-3rd Grade) will gather in the upper-level Godly Play room for a special 4-part series on “Worship - Why We Do the Things We Do.” This will be an important time for children to learn about the movements in worship, their meaning and how we approach them.
This series will also be a time for preparing to lead worship on “Children’s Sabbath at GCPC,” Sunday, February 2, 2020.
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Winter Weekly Bible Study | Mondays: January 27 – March 16 |
12 – 1:30 PM
We will examine Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, and Philemon with a focus on learning where white supremacy has distorted our understanding of the text and kept us from messages of liberation and freedom. This will be a space to build deeper relationships with church members committed to undoing white supremacy in their faith journey. If interested, please email Kate Shem at
kateshem@gmail.com
.
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Bible Study | Wednesdays | 11:00 AM | Garden Room
Join the pastoral staff to read and study our sermon texts for Sunday. No preparation needed; just come ready to open scripture and discuss!
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Winter Women's Memoir Series | 4th Monday of month | 6:00 PM | Jerusalem Room
Join us for a series of book talks focusing on memoirs written by people of faith. Open to all women of the church. One copy of each book can be found in the church library. Please pre-read the book to ensure lively discussion.
- January 27 | Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home by Rhoda Janzen | Facilitator: Susie Wheelis
- February 24 | I Grew Up Little: Finding Hope in a Big God by Patsy Clairmont | Facilitator: Grace Hall
- March 30 | Shameless: A Sexual Reformation by Nadia Bolz-Weber | Facilitator: Amber White
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Room in the Inn (RITI) | February 9 – 16 | GCPC
The first of two RITI sessions in 2020 is coming up in just under a month!
We will need overnight hosts, meal preparers, folks who would bring essential items and breakfast supplies, drivers to and from A-Hope, and people to help with set-up and take-down.
It takes a village to host RITI!
Please sign-up
HERE
to sign up online or see one of your RITI team members at the RITI table in the narthex on Sunday and sign up in person.
Your RITI Team:
Tish Anderson, Sally Booher, Beth Kissling, Geneva Neeriemer, Lynne Noble, Susan Presson, Linda Pyeritz, Linda Sperling, and Beth Philipsen.
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Haywood Street Clothing Bin Volunteers Needed
Have you noticed the blue bin in our parking lot? Have you ever wondered about what happens to the clothes that are donated? Here is your opportunity to find the answers and volunteer in a very meaningful way.
Volunteers are needed to deliver donations to the Haywood Street Congregation once a week for one month. Please email Nancy Kramer at
nancykramer1981@gmail.com
to claim your slot.
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Ministry Partner News and Events...
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YAV - Hands & Feet of Asheville:
Winter Friend-Raising Event |
Monday, January 13 | 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM |
THE BLOCK off Biltmore (
39 S. Market St.
)
Have you met our 2019-2020 volunteers? Come out for a night of storytelling and hear more about moments of challenge and change thus far in their year of service here in Asheville! You will also meet our 2019-2020 community partners and a few new board members. Bring your friends and family, snacks a good company is provided!
Register Now!
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Read To Succeed Asheville/Buncombe Needs Volunteers!
Read to Succeed Asheville/Buncombe (R2S) is a local dynamic non-profit
and our mission is "
to inspire and teach children to read." Children “learn to read” in K-3
rd
and after 3
rd
, they are “reading to learn.” Students’ who have not achieved grade level reading by third grade are 4X more likely to drop out of school.
We need supportive individuals who are interested in tutoring an elementary school student, K-3, 1 hour, 1-2 days a week, during the school year. Training and ongoing support are provided.
Our organization and tutors share a passion for reading, strong belief in education, and desire to support the children in our community. What a wonderful gift to give our next generations; supporting them in learning to read.
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Intergenerational Contra & Square Dancing Fun! | Dinner & Dancing | Sunday, January 26 | 5 - 7 PM | Fellowship Hall
Come enjoy dinner and hear about our GCPC youth group trip to Raleigh, followed by an evening of dancing for all ages! We will have a teacher/caller and a student band from Warren Wilson College! Get ready for an evening of learning, sharing, fun and fellowship! RSVP at
http://bit.ly/GCPCContra
.
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Centering Prayer | Wednesday Nights | 6:30 - 7:00 PM | Sanctuary
Christianity has a rich and ancient tradition of intentional and prayerful silence as a spiritual practice. Sacred silence teaches us to listen devoutly, humbly, and with trust. It is beautifully simple and a spiritual skill whose gifts goes deeper and gets more powerful the more one practices it. This practice is open to all and is come as you are able. Questions? Contact Marcia at
mmshoop@gcpcusa.org
.
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Deacon of the Week
Each Sunday morning there will be a deacon available for everything from praying with you to giving you a tour of the building. This deacon will be wearing a purple sash and stationed in the narthex before 10:45 worship and in the front of the sanctuary after worship. He or she is also available during the week if you or someone you love needs assistance from our board of deacons.
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Youth Committee Meeting | Thursday, January 9 | 6:00 - 7:00 PM | Garden Room
All Youth, Advisors and Parents are invited to participate in the Youth Committee meetings and lend their voice and ideas to the youth program. If you cannot attend, feel free to jump in another month.
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Youth Sunday School:
Youth Choir, Drama & Fun
(6th - 12th graders) | Every Sunday | 9:00-10:15 AM | Youth Rooms
This Spring we will continue to fearlessly dive into our faith in creative ways. We begin at 9:00am sharp with breakfast, followed by Youth Choir, Energizers, Games and an on-your-feet Bible Study. Let's continue having a blast sharing our voices and ideas with one another, as well as supporting each other as we prepare to share things in worship as well!
Questions? Contact Samantha at
sgblock@gcpcusa.org
.
*
Note: we need to prepare to sing this Sunday afternoon, January 12th, so please be sure to attend!
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Youth Group "MLK Jr. Celebration" | Sunday, January 12 |
2:30
-5:00 PM (
Youth Choir arrive at 2:15 PM!
) | WNC Baptist Fellowship (
240 Haywood St
) **Note change in arrival times!**
We're joining our local community in celebrating the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Our youth choir has been invited to share their voices, and we all look forward to exploring how we are called to respond to the needs of our world and city.
Remember this is also a mandatory event for youth attending the Raleigh mission trip.
Youth choir will arrive 2:15pm to rehearse.
Meet/pick-up at
WNC Baptist Fellowship at 240 Haywood Street
in downtown.
All parents are welcome to attend. See you there!
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Senior Highs: Midnight Manna! | Saturday, January 25 | 8:50 PM -Midnight | Meet/pick up at Manna Food Bank (627 Swannanoa Rd.)
Senior Highs, sign up here by January 10th for this unforgettable service party (sponsored by AYM & Manna Food Bank). GCPC is covering the cost (food & t-shirts provided). Youth should arrive to Manna at 8:50pm, so that we can check in on-time all together. *Parents sign up above if you would like to serve as a chaperone.
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RALEIGH MISSION EDUCATION TRIP IMPORTANT INFO:
It's time to bring in your remaining balance for the GCPC Mission trip to Raleigh. The total cost is $200 a person. Contact
Sherrie
for questions about your balance.
Also, save the following Sundays for required youth group attendance if you are going on the Mission Trip:
January 12th, 2-5pm; January 26th, 5-7pm
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Prayer List
[We are happy to pray for anyone who is in need. Concerns will stay on this list for a month unless we hear otherwise. Please keep us updated.]
Iglesia Jerusalem congregation
Pat Cocke (Les Stradley’s friend)
Deborah Strong (Robin Gaiser's cousin)
Nancy and Richard Schaadt (Donna Robertson's sister and brother-in-law)
Jeffrey Ferris (Mary Lou Nash's son)
Rebecca Wells' brother, Jamey
Jeff Combs (Bill McNeff's friend)
West Asheville Presbyterian Church
Marcia Zuzel (friend of Kim Hottle and Melissa Shook)
Virginia Bibee (Jamie Bibee Lloyd's mother)
Suzy Carter (David Carter's wife and Yvonne Smith's friend)
Arlene Hill (Jay Hill's aunt)
John Kominski (Russell Kominski's dad)
Family of Frank Palmeri (father-in-law of Laura Palmeri who is Jim and Martha Branden's daughter)
Hettie Lou Garland
Betty Smith
Margaret Rada
Bob Higgins
James Harwell
Joyce Summerlin
Cory Hartbarger
Penny Ponder
Florence Riedesel
Elizabeth Fisher
Doris Prak
Roslyn Carney
Nell Payne
Amanda Pressley
Allen Johnson
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Grace Covenant Community Out and About...
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January 2020
Enneagram Retreats @ GCPC
RSVP deadline:
January 15th for
RSVP deadline:
January 22nd for
See attached flyers
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Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church | 828.254.3274
789 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, NC 28804
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